


The Silent Hero

by Anakha



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-27
Updated: 2014-04-27
Packaged: 2018-01-20 23:51:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1530320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anakha/pseuds/Anakha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexaeus is called the Silent Hero for a reason. But what was the price for the silence that allowed Xehanort to complete his experiments?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Silent Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Leon, Yuffie, Cid and Cloud once had official ages on the Kingdom Hearts I website. Aerith did not, leaving her age open to guessing. Because of this, I've taken liberties so she's the oldest of the Radiant Garden trio. As well, this was written well before the revelation in 3D and the reveal as to the Apprentices all losing their hearts in the computer room.

“What would you do for the one you love?”

Aeleus blinks, turning his gaze upward toward the apprentice. Xehanort only smiles, something much too pleasant and serene. It’s unsettling, and the guard doesn’t trust it for a moment. Instead, he simply stands, the papers he had helped to gather still in his hands. Eyes narrow, and he can’t help the distrust to his voice as he asks, “Why do you ask?”

“It’s merely a question. She is quite lovely, though. She sells flowers in the street, right? Perhaps I’ll buy one from her…”

Aeleus narrows his eyes further, giving a short, “Hm,” as he hands back the papers. All the while, Xehanort has that too-pleasant smile. He gives a nod of thanks for the help, then begins to walk off. Aeleus watches him disappear around the corner, then turns and finishes the walk to his post at the door where Dilan is waiting.

“You seem distracted, Aeleus,” the other guard observes. Aeleus doesn’t respond, only staring straight ahead. He’s very aware that he’s distracted. However, Xehanort’s words had left a dark cloud over his mind, and worry in his heart. Something about how they were said, almost too casually.

He doesn’t notice anyone approaching until there’s suddenly a hand taking his own free one, pressing a daffodil into it. He blinks, looking down into the smiling face, absolutely bewildered. The young woman had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. When Aeleus lifts his hand to stare at the flower in confusion, Dilan lets out a loud, hearty laugh.

“Someone’s been working too hard,” Aerith teases. Aeleus smiles, just a tad sheepishly, before tucking the flower into his coat, just under the collar. It’s secured in place behind his lapel by the buttons. She straightens it, and the two share a moment of silent communication through their eyes.

“Daffodil, Aerith? Quite the statement,” Dilan says, a joking tone to his voice. Aeleus chuckles, cupping Aerith’s face before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. She smiles up at him. All fears are momentarily eased as he notes the flower she’d brought him and its meaning.

“You truly believe I am the only one?” he asks. That enigmatic smile of hers remains as she backs away, hands clasped behind her back. There’s a firm nod.

“For me, you are.”

~*~

“You never answered me before, Aeleus. What, exactly, would you do for the woman you love?”

Ah. That question again. Xehanort stands in the doorway of his room, a book clutched in one hand as he peers over it. He’s leaning on the frame, casually, calmly watching as Aeleus tucks the daffodil into a vase. His uniform shirt has been removed, draped over the back of a chair. His shift is over, and it’s time to rest.

“You had said it was only a question. I had no reason to answer,” he comments, slowly lowering himself to sit on the bed. Xehanort chuckles walking over to look at the flower, fingers tracing over petals gently. He seems almost distracted, but then he speaks.

“…Would you sacrifice yourself? Your castle and lord? Would you remain silent as something truly terrible happened to this world you love so much? I wonder…”

He takes the stem between his fingers, holding the flower in his hand. He doesn’t look at Aeleus, not once, but he keeps that calm smile. That unnerving, calm, much too fake smile. Aeleus just watches him, eyes narrowed. He doesn’t like where this is going. Not one bit.

“It’s all hypothetical, of course. But if you had to choose between everything else, and her… Which would you choose?”

Aeleus tenses, watching the apprentice in silence. Xehanort chuckles, lifting the flower to smell. Finally, he looks to Aeleus. There has been no answer. While he may say it is only hypothetical, the guard notes the dead serious look to his eyes. It leaves Aeleus entirely too uneasy.

“And what if you did not have my silence for whatever it is you’re planning?” he asks, testing the waters. The smile remains, not faltering a moment. The only action taken is the slow, deliberate closing of fingers around a flower, crushing it tightly into a palm. The message is clear.

“She lives not too far from the main plaza, right? I’d like to know where it is she finds these flowers.”

Ah. So he knows where she lives, too. The subtle threat is there, and Aeleus had always considered the man a wildcard. It’s just that he’s seeing the true colors at last, and they happen to be as black as the deepest darkness.

~*~

Aeleus is silent. He can only watch as things spiral downward in this world. He had joined Xehanort’s “cause” and so watched as other joined as well. Braig was apparently with him from the beginning. Even joined out of his love of science. Ienzo reluctantly came with them, fear glimmering in his eyes whenever he looked at Xehanort. And finally, Dilan was persuaded—likely through threats, as well, or perhaps just plain charisma. Xehanort had that going for him, it seemed.

Either way, Aeleus was silent, quieting even with Aerith. He treasures her, far more than before. She is his reason. And even as he stands at the castle gates, watching as the cracks form in the ground, he can’t make a sound. Because Xehanort would—

“This world will fall soon. Everything, devoured by the Heartless. I wonder what the people will say when they see that their ‘King’ has become a monster.”

It’s a statement from the other guard. Dilan had long since become bitter, watching as Aerith came less and less. The teasing had gone from him, and instead made him seem hollow. Perhaps the most uncomfortable thing yet in all of this. More so than Xehanort’s calm smiles or Even’s near-glee at the experiments or even his own bought complacency. To see Dilan change from one so full of life and concern for others to become so callous…

“She’s probably being hunted down as we speak.”

Aeleus grips his axe tightly. His silence had been bought. He cannot act. She will— But how is he protecting her like this? The creatures will devour her alive. She doesn’t stand a chance with this many. He narrows his eyes, then quite suddenly takes off. Whether this is what Dilan was hinting for him to do or not, this is his chosen action.

His axe rips through creature after creature as he seeks her out. He stops by her home first, but she is nowhere to be found. Even with injuries beginning to spread across his body where claws rip into flesh and jagged mouths sink to the bone, he continues on.

Finally, as he nears the home of an inventor, he spots her. It’s from afar, but it’s her. He would recognize the dress and the braid anywhere. She’s lifting a small girl into a ship, making sure the crying child is safe in a teenaged boy’s arms before climbing in herself. He wants to call out to her, but the ground is breaking apart. There is no time.

So he just remains silent and fights off the creatures, smiling as he distracts them. They don’t go after the ship that takes off. For a moment, he wonders if Aerith looks out the window and sees him. But that’s not what matters. What matters is that the ship is leaving this crumbling world. And even as he feels his muscles give way, falling to his knees as the black monsters claw and bite and maim, he can only smile.

He isn’t aware he even passed out. But when he awakens, Xehanort and the others are standing over him.

“That was a brave thing you did, sacrificing yourself for her. I believe the appropriate title for you would be the Silent Hero,” Xehanort comments with the most amused of smirks. Lexaeus only nods, accepting the title with further silence.


End file.
